10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 5
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 113,589 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle leaked oil out of the valve cover gasket and the spark plug wire retainer causing a misfire. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted but failed to properly accelerate while driving. The contact stated that there were fumes inside of the vehicle which caused eye irritation. The contact stated that the TPMS, check engine, service engine, seat belt, and air bags warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, after refueling, the fuel gauge failed to provide an accurate fuel reading. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed that the spark plug retainer and valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 03V238000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 264,000.
- Albuquerque, NM, USA
The contact owned a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. While driving out of the driveway, the engine made an abnormal banging sound and the vehicle caught fire. The engine blew up and produced a thick cloud of smoke. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Bedford, IN, USA
Valve cover gaskets leaking oil can get on exhaust manifold causing an engine fire.
- Dayton, OH, USA
The contact owned a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire and exploded when the ignition key was inserted. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
- Norwich, CT, USA
I had left my lights on and battery went dead. Went to jump the vehicle and charge the battery. Cables connected correctly. When I went to start the vehicle, I heard a loud explosion noise like a back fire but saw a flame then smoke out of engine. The engine hood was closed since the battery is located under the back seat or this could have been fatal or a serious injury. The flame must have been extinguished by the fluids? when we opened the hood after a short period, we found that their was some type of explosion in the engine. The vehicle was stationary and in my driveway
- Snohomish, WA, USA
The contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact attempted to engage the brakes and the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions and repaired. The type of repairs were unknown and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 11/12/14
- Conroe, TX, USA
The contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited an abnormal noise when first started and caught on fire. The fire department was called and assisted with extinguishing the fire. There were no injuries. After the fire was extinguished, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel pressure regulator, upper intake manifold, fuel injectors, fuel line, master cylinder, alternator, engine wiring harness, coolant reservoir, accelerator cable, and several other components would need to be replaced. The cause of the fire was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 86,700.
- Merrillville, IN, USA
The contact owns a 2001 Pontiac Bonneville. The contact stated that the cabin of the vehicle would take in the exhaust fumes from the contact's vehicle and other vehicles. The vehicle was taken to a fire department due to the possibility of carbon monoxide entering the vehicle however, their machines did not detect any carbon monoxide. The contact stated that the colder the weather, the worse the odor would become. The failure caused the contact and anyone who entered the vehicle to suffer from headaches. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was contacted and advised her to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer for inspection. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. The current mileage was approximately 126,000.
- Lewis Center, OH, USA
- Greenville, TX, USA